One of my all-time favorite children's picture books is entitled I'm in Charge of Celebrations by Byrd Baylor. Author, illustrator and naturalist Byrd Baylor lives and writes in Arizona in a home without electricity, telephone or running water. In this day of instant information and entertainment with email, Facebook, blackberries and iPods, one might look at Baylor's life and wonder what she could possibly have to celebrate. Others, including me, look at her life of conscious simplicity with admiration and awe and imagine a host of everyday reasons worthy of celebration.
All of Baylor's books reflect the intense connection between land and people. Through her writing style of rhythmic prose poetry, she celebrates the beauty of nature and her own feelings of deep affinity with it. Such is her work, I'm in Charge of Celebrations which tells the heartfelt story of a girl who shares her love for desert life. Her life includes numerous moving experiences like dancing in the wind on Dust Devil Day or sleeping outside on a hot summer night during The Time of the Falling Stars. Every one of these extraordinarily ordinary moments is cause for celebration throughout the year.
Each time I reread this beloved book, I am reminded to stop, observe and acknowledge the everyday experiences in my own life that are cause for celebration. I see the emerald green sculptural hills of our beloved Palouse ... and I celebrate. I smell a delicate sweet bouquet of mock orange ... and I celebrate. I listen to a parent read aloud with love and delight to their little one ... and I celebrate. I've learned if I remember to look and listen, there is no shortage for reasons to celebrate each and every day.
I've also learned that some celebrations are just too good to keep to oneself. So, I want to share an upcoming opportunity for you and yours to join in an evening of music, singing and community connection-all perfect reasons to celebrate. Award-winning children's musician Victor Johnson is returning to Pullman once again to entertain as only he can at the library's upcoming summer reading finale. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Neill Public Library and is presented to the entire community at no charge. They're even making sure every child who attends gets a free ice cream treat following the concert. Reason after delicious reason to celebrate!
I doubt Victor Johnson and Byrd Baylor know each other. Yet, if they do meet someday, I believe they'll recognize each other as kindred spirits. He writes and plays beautiful music. She writes and illustrates beautiful books. They have each won national and international recognition for their respective works. And both are believers and practitioners in the importance in celebrating the joys and delights of everyday life.
Victor will be working his musical magic at Reaney Park on Thursday, July 29 from 6-7 pm. Consider you and yours invited to this special event. It will be a night of musical talent. It will be a night of community connection. It will be a night of sweet enjoyment. I'll be there. I hope you will too. Let's celebrate together!
Each time I reread this beloved book, I am reminded to stop, observe and acknowledge the everyday experiences in my own life that are cause for celebration. I see the emerald green sculptural hills of our beloved Palouse ... and I celebrate. I smell a delicate sweet bouquet of mock orange ... and I celebrate. I listen to a parent read aloud with love and delight to their little one ... and I celebrate. I've learned if I remember to look and listen, there is no shortage for reasons to celebrate each and every day.
I've also learned that some celebrations are just too good to keep to oneself. So, I want to share an upcoming opportunity for you and yours to join in an evening of music, singing and community connection-all perfect reasons to celebrate. Award-winning children's musician Victor Johnson is returning to Pullman once again to entertain as only he can at the library's upcoming summer reading finale. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Neill Public Library and is presented to the entire community at no charge. They're even making sure every child who attends gets a free ice cream treat following the concert. Reason after delicious reason to celebrate!
I doubt Victor Johnson and Byrd Baylor know each other. Yet, if they do meet someday, I believe they'll recognize each other as kindred spirits. He writes and plays beautiful music. She writes and illustrates beautiful books. They have each won national and international recognition for their respective works. And both are believers and practitioners in the importance in celebrating the joys and delights of everyday life.
Victor will be working his musical magic at Reaney Park on Thursday, July 29 from 6-7 pm. Consider you and yours invited to this special event. It will be a night of musical talent. It will be a night of community connection. It will be a night of sweet enjoyment. I'll be there. I hope you will too. Let's celebrate together!
by Kathleen Ahern
Children's Librarian
published in Moscow-Pullman Daily News 7/24/10
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